The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-09
EXPENSIVE LOCOMOTIVE SPARKS.
How Railroads Are Compelled Annually t
Pay Heavy Damages for Prairie Fires.


Pay Heavy Damages for Prairie Fires.
Chicago Herald
Il have been in my Office chair here for just
one hour and have been able do nothing else
than open dispatches telling me of the havoc
being caused all along our line by prairie fires
said the veteran general manager of i'm
portant railroad Yesterday. As he spoke he
pointed to a waste basket we'll filed with yellow
envelopes which had once done service wrap
pers for messages from the wire. 'These dry
times" he continued, ARE to be feared by u.s. as
have discovered by sad experience. We are
forced, matter of sef-protection, to exer-
else great in of prairie fires, for if the
owner of any property damaged by the fire in
the slightest degree has a presext, be it ever
small. for damages he is going to move heaven
and earth to make us Paw There can be
question about the fact that in a majority of
cases prairie fires are started by flying sparks
from passing engines. To that extent are we
responsible but may be careful as poss-
BILE in the time of drought and fires will occur in
spite of our most heroic efforts to prevent them
You notice in time tables and in our book OF
rules for the guidance of our help we have
standing mandate to this effect Employees must
assist in putting out fires, set by engines
otherwise, and call upon every person within
reach assist"
I'VE have found this prompt action to be good
policy, and very often incipient blazes
checked before they have time to spread How
do We extinguish the flames the prarie2 The
most common mode is to get out with
horses and pows, and have them make three
four burrows around the flaming portion of the
meadow. That. of course, prevents the spread
of the fire, which must soon burn itself out.
You know, it's all In taking it in time and getting
it under control Oftentimes however 1T be-
comes unmanageabe before the men get work.
and that's where the damage in. / have
just received telegram from place called
Delevan describing the course of fire through
a wheat-feld 1t made path for itself through
the growing grain not less than thirty feet wide.
That is unusual thing, and tends to show
how intense the drought is this season.
did you know that farmers as a class, in
their dealings with railroads. are blood suckers?
Well, that's what they After prairie fire
big claims for damages pour into this Office, and
it's to useless to attempt to dispute the
claims. Neighbors are brought in to prove the
amount of damage done the interest of the
claimant, and they ready with their aft
davits they with long winded yarns in
the interest of their claim. Not long ago prai-
rie fire in Missouri swept up to the fence of
wealthy farmers orchard. 1t crept in between
the fence rails. through the long, parched grass,
and up to the fruittrees, and scorched them
pretty badly. We soon heard from the farmer
who said he had 500 trees destroyed. and he
placed value of $40 apiece them. On inves-
tigation found that there was q good deal of
truth TO the farmers story. and We gave him a
check for $4,000 What do you imagined fol-
1owed2 The next season the same trees on
which the crop had been destroyed. without any
special cultivation to speak Of. bore a crop of
fruit greatly in excess of anything they had pro-
duced in previous seasons. No, the farmer did
not refund the s., 900. pay us for improving
his orchard. In point of improving the SOIL
there is question that prairie fires are q most
excellent thing"